Hotel Greek

Why hotel Greek is worth learning even if staff speak English

Hotel staff across Greece, especially in tourist-heavy areas, very commonly speak good English, which can make it tempting to skip this vocabulary entirely. It's worth learning anyway, for two practical reasons. First, smaller family-run accommodations, particularly outside the main tourist centres and on smaller islands, are considerably more likely to have staff whose English is limited, and these are often the most rewarding places to stay precisely because they're less geared toward mass tourism. Second, even where English is available, using Greek for routine requests tends to produce warmer, more attentive service — a small effort that's consistently noticed and appreciated.

Booking a room (by phone or in person)

• Θα ήθελα να κάνω κράτηση. (tha íthela na káno krátisi) — I would like to make a reservation.
• Έχετε διαθέσιμα δωμάτια; (échete diathésima domátia?) — Do you have any available rooms?
• Για πόσα άτομα; (ya pósa átoma?) — For how many people? (what you'll be asked)
• Για δύο άτομα. (ya dío átoma) — For two people.
• Για πόσες νύχτες; (ya póses níchtes?) — For how many nights? (what you'll be asked)
• Για τρεις νύχτες. (ya tris níchtes) — For three nights.
• Θέλω ένα δίκλινο δωμάτιο. (thélo éna díklino domátio) — I want a double room.
• Θέλω ένα μονόκλινο δωμάτιο. (thélo éna monóklino domátio) — I want a single room.
• Πόσο κοστίζει τη βραδιά; (póso kostízi ti vradiá?) — How much does it cost per night?
• Το πρωινό περιλαμβάνεται; (to proinó perilamvánete?) — Is breakfast included?

Checking in

• Έχω κράτηση στο όνομα... (écho krátisi sto ónoma...) — I have a reservation under the name...
• Το διαβατήριό μου, παρακαλώ. (to diavatírió mu, parakaló) — My passport, please.
• Τι ώρα είναι το check-in; (ti óra íne to check-in?) — What time is check-in?
• Μπορώ να αφήσω τις αποσκευές μου εδώ; (boró na afíso tis aposkevés mu edó?) — Can I leave my luggage here?
• Σε ποιον όροφο είναι το δωμάτιο; (se pion órofo íne to domátio?) — What floor is the room on?
• Υπάρχει ασανσέρ; (ipárchi asansér?) — Is there an elevator?
• Ποιος είναι ο κωδικός για το wifi; (pios íne o kodikós ya to wifi?) — What's the wifi password?

Asking about the room and its features

• Το δωμάτιο έχει θέα στη θάλασσα; (to domátio échi théa sti thálasa?) — Does the room have a sea view?
• Υπάρχει κλιματισμός; (ipárchi klimatismós?) — Is there air conditioning?
• Πώς λειτουργεί ο κλιματισμός; (pos litúrgi o klimatismós?) — How does the air conditioning work?
• Υπάρχει μπαλκόνι; (ipárchi balkóni?) — Is there a balcony?
• Μπορώ να δω το δωμάτιο πρώτα; (boró na do to domátio próta?) — Can I see the room first?
• Έχετε κάποιο άλλο δωμάτιο; Αυτό είναι πολύ θορυβώδες. (échete kápio álo domátio? aftó íne polí thorivódes) — Do you have another room? This one is too noisy.

Requests during your stay

These are the phrases you'll reach for most often once you're actually settled in, covering the everyday needs that come up across a multi-night stay.

• Μπορείτε να καθαρίσετε το δωμάτιο, παρακαλώ; (borite na katharísete to domátio, parakaló?) — Can you clean the room, please?
• Χρειάζομαι περισσότερες πετσέτες. (chriázome perisóteres petsétes) — I need more towels.
• Χρειάζομαι σαπούνι / σαμπουάν. (chriázome sapúni / sampuán) — I need soap / shampoo.
• Μπορείτε να μου φέρετε ένα ακόμα μαξιλάρι; (borite na mu férete éna akóma maksilári?) — Can you bring me another pillow?
• Ο θερμοσίφωνας δεν λειτουργεί. (o thermosífonas den litúryi) — The water heater isn't working.
• Δεν έχει ζεστό νερό. (den échi zestó neró) — There's no hot water.
• Το κλειδί δεν λειτουργεί. (to klidí den litúryi) — The key doesn't work.
• Έχετε ξυπνητήρι για το πρωί; (échete ksipnitíri ya to proí?) — Can you give me a wake-up call in the morning?
• Πού μπορώ να πλύνω ρούχα; (pu boró na plíno rúcha?) — Where can I do laundry?
• Υπάρχει χώρος στάθμευσης; (ipárchi chóros státhmefsis?) — Is there parking?

Reporting problems politely

Reporting a genuine problem — a broken fixture, noise, an unclean room — is a normal part of hotel stays everywhere, and doing it calmly and clearly in Greek tends to get faster, more helpful resolution than frustration would, in any language.

• Υπάρχει πρόβλημα με το δωμάτιό μου. (ipárchi próvlima me to domátió mu) — There's a problem with my room.
• Το δωμάτιο δεν είναι καθαρό. (to domátio den íne katharó) — The room isn't clean.
• Ακούω πολύ θόρυβο από το διπλανό δωμάτιο. (akúo polí thórivo apó to diplanó domátio) — I hear a lot of noise from the room next door.
• Μπορείτε να το διορθώσετε; (borite na to diorthósete?) — Can you fix it?
• Θα ήθελα να αλλάξω δωμάτιο. (tha íthela na aláxo domátio) — I would like to change rooms.

Breakfast and hotel dining

• Πού σερβίρεται το πρωινό; (pu servírete to proinó?) — Where is breakfast served?
• Τι ώρα σερβίρεται το πρωινό; (ti óra servírete to proinó?) — What time is breakfast served?
• Έχετε επιλογές χωρίς γλουτένη; (échete epiloyés chorís gluténi?) — Do you have gluten-free options?
• Μπορώ να έχω καφέ, παρακαλώ; (boró na écho kafé, parakaló?) — Can I have coffee, please?

Asking hotel staff for local recommendations

Hotel and guesthouse staff are often some of the best sources of genuine local recommendations you'll meet on a trip, and asking in Greek tends to open up more candid, less tourist-brochure answers than the same question asked in English.

• Μπορείτε να προτείνετε ένα καλό εστιατόριο εδώ κοντά; (borite na protínete éna kaló estiatório edó kondá?) — Can you recommend a good restaurant nearby?
• Τι αξίζει να δούμε εδώ κοντά; (ti aksízi na dúme edó kondá?) — What's worth seeing nearby?
• Πού πηγαίνουν οι ντόπιοι για φαγητό; (pu piyénun i dópii ya fayitó?) — Where do locals go to eat?
• Είναι ασφαλές να περπατήσω τη νύχτα; (íne asfalés na perpatíso ti níchta?) — Is it safe to walk at night?

Checking out

• Θα ήθελα να κάνω check-out. (tha íthela na káno check-out) — I would like to check out.
• Τι ώρα είναι το check-out; (ti óra íne to check-out?) — What time is check-out?
• Μπορώ να αφήσω τις αποσκευές μου μετά το check-out; (boró na afíso tis aposkevés mu metá to check-out?) — Can I leave my luggage after check-out?
• Μπορώ να έχω την απόδειξη, παρακαλώ; (boró na écho tin apódiksi, parakaló?) — Can I have the receipt, please?
• Νομίζω ότι υπάρχει λάθος στον λογαριασμό. (nomízo óti ipárchi láthos ston loyariasmó) — I think there's a mistake in the bill.
• Μπορείτε να καλέσετε ταξί για μένα; (borite na kalésete taksí ya ména?) — Can you call a taxi for me?

Checking the bill before paying is completely normal practice and not considered rude — mistakes happen, particularly with additional charges like minibar use or late check-out fees, and querying a line item politely, using the phrase above, is a routine and expected part of checking out anywhere.

A note on tipping in Greek hotels

Tipping in Greek hotels isn't as rigidly expected as in some other countries, but small tips for housekeeping (a euro or two left in the room) and for porters who help with luggage are appreciated and increasingly common, particularly in higher-end hotels used to international guests. It's a genuinely optional gesture rather than a strict social obligation, and no phrase is needed for it — simply leaving the money visibly on a surface like the nightstand is understood universally.

Types of accommodation you'll encounter in Greece

Greek accommodation vocabulary is worth knowing beyond the generic word "hotel", since the range of options you'll meet, particularly on the islands, is broader than in many other destinations. Το ξενοδοχείο (to ksenodochío) is the general word for hotel. Τα δωμάτια (ta domátia), literally "the rooms", refers to small, often family-run guesthouses — extremely common on islands and in smaller towns, typically simpler than a hotel but often more personal and considerably cheaper. Η βίλα (i víla) is a villa, usually a full private house rented for a stay. Το πανδοχείο (to pandochío) is a more old-fashioned or traditional term for an inn, occasionally used for boutique or heritage properties. Knowing this vocabulary helps you understand listings and signage, even if you booked everything in English online beforehand.

Booking directly with a small host

Many of the most memorable places to stay in Greece, particularly on smaller islands, are family-run δωμάτια booked directly with the owner rather than through a large chain or booking platform, sometimes by phone or even simply by walking up and asking. This kind of direct booking rewards a slightly different, more personal set of phrases than a formal hotel check-in.

• Έχετε ελεύθερο δωμάτιο απόψε; (échete eléftero domátio apópse?) — Do you have a free room tonight?
• Πόσο κάνει τη βραδιά, με πρωινό; (póso káni ti vradiá, me proinó?) — How much per night, with breakfast?
• Μπορώ να το δω πρώτα; (boró na to do próta?) — Can I see it first?
• Θα μείνουμε δύο νύχτες, ίσως τρεις. (tha mínume dío níchtes, ísos tris) — We'll stay two nights, maybe three.
• Έχετε κάτι πιο φθηνό; (échete káti pio fthinó?) — Do you have anything cheaper?

This kind of informal, face-to-face negotiation over a room is still genuinely common in smaller Greek destinations, and a warm, patient, slightly informal tone tends to work better here than the more scripted formality of a hotel check-in desk.

Star ratings and what to realistically expect

Greek hotels use the standard European star-rating system (1 to 5 stars), but it's worth knowing that Greek ratings, particularly at the 2–3 star level, sometimes reflect a different set of priorities than equivalent ratings elsewhere — a simple 2-star hotel on a small island might have a spectacular sea view and genuinely warm service despite modest room fittings, while a 2-star hotel in a large city is more likely to mean exactly what you'd expect from that rating internationally. This isn't something you need Greek vocabulary to navigate, but it's a useful piece of context: reviews and photos are generally more reliable indicators of what you'll actually get than the star rating alone.

Longer stays and extended vocabulary

If you're staying somewhere for more than a few nights, a slightly different set of phrases becomes relevant, oriented around settling in rather than a short visit.

• Θα μείνω για δύο εβδομάδες. (tha míno ya dío evdomádes) — I'll be staying for two weeks.
• Υπάρχει κουζίνα στο δωμάτιο; (ipárchi kuzína sto domátio?) — Is there a kitchen in the room?
• Πού είναι το πλησιέστερο σούπερ μάρκετ; (pu íne to plisiéstero súper márket?) — Where is the nearest supermarket?
• Μπορείτε να αλλάξετε τα σεντόνια μία φορά την εβδομάδα; (borite na aláksete ta sedónia mía forá tin evdomáda?) — Can you change the sheets once a week?
• Έχει καλή σύνδεση στο ίντερνετ για δουλειά; (échi kalí síndesi sto internet ya duliá?) — Is there good internet connection for work?

Greek hospitality customs worth knowing

Hospitality (φιλοξενία, filoksenía) carries significant cultural weight in Greece, going back to ancient traditions of welcoming guests and strangers — this shows up in small, practical ways during a hotel stay. It's common for hosts, particularly at smaller family-run properties, to offer a complimentary drink, a piece of fruit, or a local sweet on arrival, purely as a gesture of welcome rather than an upsell. Accepting graciously, even briefly, tends to be better received than a polite decline, and a simple Ευχαριστώ πολύ, είναι πολύ ευγενικό. (efcharistó polí, íne polí evyenikó — thank you very much, that's very kind) acknowledges the gesture appropriately.

Booking platforms versus calling directly

Most visitors now book Greek accommodation through international platforms entirely in English, which is perfectly fine and increasingly the norm even for small, family-run properties. That said, there's real value in knowing enough Greek to call a property directly, particularly for smaller, independently run places on islands or in less touristed regions, where a direct phone booking sometimes secures a better rate than the same room listed on a commission-charging platform, and where the personal conversation itself often sets a warmer tone for your entire stay before you've even arrived. If you're comfortable enough with the phrases in this guide, a short phone call using the booking phrases above, rather than defaulting to an app, is worth trying at least once during a trip.

Seasonal considerations for hotel Greek

Timing affects more than just prices and availability — it changes what vocabulary is actually useful. In peak summer season (roughly June through September), phrases around air conditioning, availability, and advance booking become far more relevant, since many popular destinations run close to full capacity and last-minute availability is limited. In shoulder season (spring and autumn) and winter, particularly on smaller islands, a significant number of hotels and guesthouses close entirely, which makes phrases like Είστε ανοιχτοί τον χειμώνα; (íste anichtí ton chimóna? — are you open in winter?) genuinely useful when planning an off-season trip, since assuming year-round availability the way you might in a major city can lead to real disappointment on a quieter island.

Vocabulary quick-reference table

Where to go next

Once you've settled into your accommodation, Restaurant Greek prepares you for eating out during your stay, and Emergency Greek covers the less pleasant but important scenarios worth being ready for regardless of how smoothly your trip is going. For the broader phrases that apply well beyond the hotel itself, see Greek Travel Phrases.